Pages

Thursday, July 5, 2018

In
MAKE ME CRAVE by NYT Bestselling Author, Katee Robert, Roman
Bassani will do anything to close a deal. Even chase down Allie Landers on her
Caribbean vacation to make an offer on her company.

Pre-order MAKE
ME CRAVE and add
it to your TBR pile on Goodreads! Then keep reading to get a sneak peek excerpt and enter the
giveaway for a $25 Amazon gift card or one of three (3) ebooks from Katee
Robert’s backlist!

Title: Make Me Crave

Author: Katee Robert

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release
Date: July 1, 2018

Publisher: Harlequin Dare

Series: Make Me

Page Count: 144 pages

Format: Digital

ASIN:B0779DL61K

Synopsis:

“I crave you…”

Can
their hunger be satisfied?

Roman Bassani will do anything to close a deal.
Even chase down Allie Landers on her Caribbean vacation to make an offer on her
company. He expects a challenge—but not their immediate intense attraction.
After an accidental one-night stand they agree to put business aside—for now.
The island lulls them into a heated sexual journey…but what happens to their
opposing interests when they return from paradise?

“Dare is Harlequin’s hottest line yet. Every
book should come with a free fan. I dare you to try them!”

“Make me Crave by Katee
Robert is such an amazing and captivating read that you will not put it down.
Sexy, fiesty, hotness, chemistry, laughter and love Make me Crave is a must
read for all book lovers. This is hands down in my opinion the best book that I
have ever read by Katee Roberts.”—Goodreads review

“Wow! I can't emphasize
enough how much I loved Make Me Crave (Make Me #2). It has sass, steam and
great characters with loads of chemistry. Katee Robert is definitely an author
on my ‘must read’ list.”—Goodreads review

“Hello Adonis! Roman is
just...yeah. I mean, sex on a stick with a good heart (despite his past
misdeeds), and a more than capable brain! Allie is his perfect match and their
time together sets the pages on fire while making you root for them to get more
than just the pleasure they find from each other on the island! A great book!”—Goodreads
review

Enter
to win a $25 Amazon gift card or one of three (3)
ebooks from Katee Robert’s backlist!

This book follows Allie who owns a gym as well as a women's shelter that she is having some difficulty financially operating. Allie reluctantly goes on a vacation with a friend to a very exclusive resort that is hard to get reservations and even harder to stay in touch with people.

Roman is a financial adviser who works on pairing up investors and businesses. Once he learns that Allie has left on vacation he follows her there to try and get the deal done.

I loved the chemist that flies off the pages. The author did a great job creating the sparks right from the beginning. We get to see the two characters at a more raw state when they first meet so it adds in an additional layer of drama. I loved when they were both starting to piece everything together to figure out what was really going on.

The story is very short in nature so it was a quick read. I enjoyed getting to know the backstory on both Roman and Allie in such a short amount of time. I couldn't help but route for them as a couple, but as well as individuals. The author does an amazing job creating the backstory of each and presenting it separately with the alternating chapters. I loved that we got to see two completely different point of views so that we could see how each character was feeling and also the struggles that they were going through.

I loved the ending of this book! It was what I had expected to happen and not much of a twist, but it was summed up perfectly!

I guess my one complaint would be of the age that Allie is at. At first I thought Allie was a lot older then when we learn her age later in the book. I felt like she could have been slightly older, but once I found out how young she was I couldn't put a realistic timeline together for myself.

I would suggest this book for a perfect beach read. The story is easy to follow along with and I got quickly wrapped into the characters that I wanted to know what was going to happen with them.

I received a copy of this book from Barclay Publishing to provide an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of this book.

Tomorrow would be soon
enough for them to go exploring and try out the stand-up paddleboards Allie had
eyed when she’d checked out the beach.

Her face heated at the
fact she’d been caught topless sunbathing. Whoever that guy was, he’d been far
off enough that she couldn’t clearly see his face. Those shoulders, though…
Allie shivered. Even at a distance, she’d seen the cut of his muscles and how
purposefully he’d maneuvered the kayak through the turquoise waters. The island
must have already gone to her head, because she’d spent a truly insane moment
hoping he’d come to shore so she could get a better look at him.

Maybe more than a better
look.

Allie laughed at her
fanciful thoughts. Vacation hookups were all well and good, but if that was
what she’d wanted, she’d chosen the wrong place to go. Isolation and relaxation
were the name of the game on West Island, which was exactly what she’d craved
when she let Becka talk her into booking the trip. It was the exact opposite of
New York and her life there.

But now she found herself
wondering if maybe something slightly more chaotic would have been
a better choice. The sun and sea had soaked into her blood and the heady
feeling had her convinced anything was possible. It was only a week. The
perfect length of time for a fling…

If she wasn’t on a
private island in the middle of the ocean without a single man in sight.

She bypassed the little
golf cart that was one of the main forms of transportation here. It felt good
to walk after being cooped up on the plane and then lying prone while she
sunned herself. She usually taught at least one class a day at Transcend—more
if she needed to cover someone else’s schedule—so being inactive wasn’t natural
for her. It was only a mile or two to the restaurant and the day had started to
cool as the sun reached for the horizon. It’d be downright pleasant tonight.

She’d make sure to wake
early and attend one of the yoga classes offered, and the rest of the day would
be filled with activities that would keep restlessness from setting in. There
was even scuba diving available, though Allie wasn’t sure she was feeling that
adventurous. Snorkeling? Sure. Going deeper with only a tank and a few tubes
between her and drowning? That would take a whole lot more convincing.

The path was cleared and
well maintained to allow the carts to drive without problems, so she let her
mind wander as she fell into a natural stride that ate up the distance without
tiring her out. Every once in a while, the path would branch off in different
directions, some heading toward other villas, some heading deeper inland. There
was a small selection of hiking trails that offered tours of the history of the
island.

She made it to the
restaurant easily, and found it practically deserted. Allie paused in the
doorway, wondering if she’d misunderstood the woman who’d checked them in.
Maybe it was closed?

“Looks like it’s just you
and me.”

She jumped and spun
around. The man stood a respectable distance away, but his sheer size ate up
the space and made her feel closed in. She froze. I’d recognize those shoulders
anywhere. Confirming her suspicion, his gaze slid over her
body as if he was reminding himself of what she looked like with nothing but
what she’d worn on the beach. She tried to swallow past her suddenly dry
throat. “You.”

“Me.” He finally looked
her in the face, and she rocked back on her heels. The man was an Adonis. There
was no other way to describe his blond perfection, from his hazel eyes to the
square jaw to the cleft in his chin to the body that just wouldn’t quit. He
might be wearing a shirt now, but the button-down did nothing to hide his
muscle definition.

He held out a wide hand
with equally perfect square fingers. “Let me buy you a drink?”

“We’re at an
all-inclusive resort.”

His lips twitched, eyes
twinkling. “Have a drink with me.”

Oh, he was good. Charm
practically colored the air between them, and she had the inexplicable impulse
to close the distance and stroke a finger along his jawline. To flick that
cleft chin with her tongue.

Allie gave herself a
shake. “Since we’re the only ones here, it’d be silly to sit apart.”

The look he gave her said
he saw right through the excuse, and why not when it was pathetically flimsy?
The truth was that this man was magnetic and she suspected she’d be drawn to
him even in a room full of people. He waved a hand at the empty place. “Lady’s
choice.”

“How magnanimous of you.”

“I try.”

She laughed and headed
for the table in the middle of the small patio. There were half a dozen tables,
and she picked a spot that put her back to the building and presented the best
view of the ocean through a carefully curated gap in the foliage.

He eyed the view and then
the chair on the other side of the table, and then he picked it up and set it
adjacent to hers so they were sitting on a diagonal,rather than directly across from each other. “Nice
view.”

She turned to agree—and
found him staring at her.

Allie wasn’t falsely
modest. Life was too short to play games with body shaming and pretending she
didn’t have access to a mirror. She was pretty—beautiful when she put some
effort into it—but she’d given up being skinny or petite after the agony of
high school, and she wasn’t athletically built like some of the women at her
gym. Sure, she had muscle beneath her softness, and she could keep up with the
best of them in her spin classes, but she loved food just as much as she loved
to sweat, and her curves reflected that. Some guys had a problem with that,
though she didn’t keep them around as soon as comments like “Should you really
be eating that?” started.

This guy looked at her
like he wanted to put her on the table and feast on her for
dinner.

The desire stoked the
flame inside her that had kindled the second she saw him. She leaned forward,
checking his left hand. No ring. No tan lines, either. “What brings you to West
Island?”

“It’s paradise, isn’t it?
Who wouldn’t want to come here to get away from it all?”

That wasn’t quite an
answer, but she was distracted by the intoxicating way his mouth moved when he
spoke. Get
ahold of yourself, Allie. You’re in danger
of panting for him. She took a quick drink of water that
did nothing to quell the heat rising with each minute she sat next to him.

Luckily, a waiter
appeared to save her from saying something truly embarrassing. He outlined the
menu for the night and took their drink orders, then disappeared as quickly as
he’d come.

They were in the middle
of one of the most beautiful places Allie had ever seen, and she couldn’t
manage to tear her gaze away from this stranger. She licked her lips, every
muscle in her body tensing when he followed the movement. She opened her mouth,
but before she could speak, he took her hand, running his thumb over her
knuckles.

The touch was innocent
enough, but she felt that light movement in places that were most definitely not
innocent. She didn’t have to look down to know her nipples now pressed against
the thin fabric of her sundress.

His smile was slow and
sinful and promised things she never would have had the gall to ask for. “This
is going to sound unforgivably forward, but what do you say we get out of here
and go back to my villa?”

It was crazy. More than
crazy. She didn’t even know his name, and she sure as hell didn’t know anything
more pertinent about him.

But there on the softly
lit patio with the tropical scent of some flower she didn’t recognize and the
soft shushing sound of the tide coming in, she didn’t feel like Allie, gym
owner and mother hen, the responsible one who could never afford to do anything
out of line or make a misstep because too many lives depended on her.

Here, she was just Allie,
a woman. A woman who desperately wanted the man staring at her mouth as if he
was doing everything in his power to keep from kissing her right then and
there. She licked her lips again, secretly delighting in the way a muscle in his
jaw jumped. “Yes.”

“Yes?”

“Yes, let’s get out of
here.”

About
Katee Robert

New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling
author Katee Robert learned to tell her stories at her grandpa’s knee. Her 2015
title, The Marriage Contract, was a RITA finalist, and RT Book Reviews named it
'a compulsively readable book with just the right amount of suspense
and tension." When not writing sexy contemporary and romantic
suspense, she spends her time playing imaginary games with her children, driving
her husband batty with what-if questions, and planning for the inevitable
zombie apocalypse.

K.S.R. Burns

Paris Ever After

SYNOPSIS

Can Amy’s rocky start in Paris turn into a happy ever after?
Amy didn’t realize how stale her life was until she jetted off to Paris without telling a soul—not even her husband—and had the adventure of a lifetime. Now as she tries to establish herself in the City of Light, she finds that despite a fun (and quirky) group of friends and the ability to indulge in French pastries whenever she wants, reinventing her life is much harder than she imagined.
Then on Amy’s thirtieth birthday, two unexpected visitors leave her wondering if she will soon be saying au revoir to Paris and the new life she’s struggled to build. Her estranged husband, Will, shows up—but is he interested in reconciliation or separation? And a young woman who arrives on Amy’s doorstep unleashes chaos that could push Amy out into the street.
As Amy’s Parisian dream starts to fall apart, she must decide: return to the stability of Will and Phoenix (if that’s even still an option) or forge her way forward in Paris? Amid secrets and surprises, set in enchanting gardens, cozy cafés, and glittering Parisian streets, Amy must choose between two very different worlds. And each has a claim on her heart.
***
NB: The author’s previous book, The Paris Effect, featured here on France Book Tours, was just optioned for Film & TV!

REVIEW

We jump right into the action with Amy and her life in
Paris. I loved that the author went back
and forth in time to give us the details we needed for what happened in the
past. I enjoyed how the story was built so
that I didn’t feel lost or confused on what happened to get Amy to Paris.

I loved Amy right from the beginning of the book! You could
tell she had a complicated story to tell and a complicated life that she
lived. I loved that we got to learn
about her family and the layers began to peel away to see how she ended up in
Paris to begin with. My heart went out
to her and I just wanted what was best for Amy during the entire book. I could see how just up and leaving without
telling your husband is a big issue, but after losing someone very close to you
the grief overcame her. Another factor that played into this was Amy’s
loss of her parents at such a young age.
I couldn’t image losing so many people close to me.

The author does a great job keeping the story moving
along. I enjoyed hearing all about Amy’s
life in Paris. She did a great job not
only describing her location, but also some changes in customs that she must assimilate
to with living in Paris. The author did a great job bringing in life in
Paris where it felt natural in the story.

The conflict built nicely over the story. I enjoyed seeing how everything played out
for everyone in the story. The ending
for this book was perfect!

I would suggest this read as a weekend read. The book was short in nature and an easy
read. I could follow along in the story
with minimal issues. I would have loved to be sitting on a beach enjoying this
book!

I received a copy of this book from France Book tours to provide
an honest review. This does not affect
my opinion of this book.

My Rating: 4/5

EXCERPT

We
step out onto the street, still in silence. I half expect to see Manu pivot on
his heel and stride off down the sidewalk. Or return upstairs to spend the rest
of the evening with Margaret. I wouldn’t put it past him to do all those dishes
by himself.

But
Manu doesn’t leave my side. When a cab pulls up, all three of us pile into the
backseat, me in the middle, and we squeal off, heading west toward the rue de
Rivoli.

As
we speed along, I lean forward to peer out the side windows. This cozy enclosed
spot, though it smells like cigarette smoke, feels like a good place to be
right now. Tomorrow will be soon enough to find out why William has come to
France. Tonight, I’m brimming with a mad joy.

After
all, I’m in Paris.

I’m
home.

Of
course, this is ridiculous. I was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, and had
never even traveled back East (much less overseas). But the first time I
stepped onto a Paris sidewalk I felt wholly at ease. The sky was the color of
pewter. The streets were shiny jet black from a night of rain. I walked for
miles, sloshing straight through puddles, invincible in my boots and
then-pristine black fingertip-length trench coat. It was, to date, the nicest
walk of my entire life.

We
are rocketing past the long, sober façade of the Louvre when Hervé murmurs a
few words to the driver, who a block later turns right off the rue de Rivoli
and onto the broad avenue de l’Opéra. I scrunch down in my seat to gaze up at
the Opéra Garnier, an ornate square building presiding at the end of the avenue
like an enormous billion-calorie birthday cake.

It’s
funny. You’d think in a crowded metropolis like Paris there wouldn’t be enough
space for you to be able to admire things from a distance. But there is, and
you can. Notre-Dame Cathedral is set on an island in the Seine, the Arc de
Triomphe stands in splendid isolation at the top of the Champs-Elysées, and the
Eiffel Tower can be spotted from all over town. You can turn down some
anonymous little street and be treated to a perfectly framed snapshot view of
an iconic monument, like the Sacré-Coeur or the Panthéon. It pays to keep your
eye out. Be ready to be dazzled, Kat would say.

I’m
wondering if our destination tonight is near the Café de la Paix—the café
someone said the whole world eventually walks by—when our cab veers into the
black maw of a poorly lit side street. All three of us pitch to the right,
briefly pinning me between Hervé’s bony shoulder and Manu’s much more muscular
one. My heart thumps. Without warning, we’ve plunged into one of the dark
narrow lanes that Napoleon III told Baron Haussmann to replace with airy broad
boulevards, all the better to march soldiers down to keep the rabble in line.
Haussmann obviously missed this one. Perhaps barons are just not that reliable.

A
hundred yards later the cab brakes, screeching, and Hervé opens his door before
we’ve even come to a complete stop.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

K. S. R. Burns
is the author of the Amazon bestseller,
THE PARIS EFFECT,
its upcoming standalone sequel PARIS EVER AFTER,
and THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF WORKING GIRL:
Real-Life Career Advice You Can Actually Use.
She has lived and worked in four countries and 22 cities,
including Paris.
No longer a wanderer, Burns now resides in the Pacific Northwest,
where in addition to novels
she writes a weekly career advice column for The Seattle Times.
Visit her website.
Follow her on Facebook, Twitter
Subscribe to her newsletterBuy the book: Amazon | Kobo | iTunes | Nook

CLICK ON THE BANNER TO READ OTHER REVIEWS,
EXCERPTS, AND INTERVIEW

Friday, April 13, 2018

YA Bound Book Tours is organizing a Blog Tour for: Amber Sky by Claire Warner. This tour will run from April 9th to 13th. Check out the tour schedule below.

Amber Sky (C.O.I.L.S of Copper and Brass #1)by Claire WarnerGenre: Dystopian SteampunkRelease Date: June 2nd 2017Summary:"You thought I did this out of the goodness of my heart?" He gave a short mirthless laugh. "Not a bit of it, this is going to be dangerous for me. What are you offering for my help?"Beneath the Amber Sky, the nobility control the food, education, and the mysterious C.O.I.L.S of Copper and Brass. To Tay, struggling to keep her siblings alive, the ideas of rebellion and freedom are distant and unreachable. But when her father is arrested, she begs Darius James, the son of the Overseer, to save his life. Darius agrees, but his help costs her a favour, one he can call in at any time. Darius' favour will bring her to the Palace, and the perfect position to help the growing rebellion. But the court has games beyond anything she has seen before, and Darius' secrets will add to the danger.Tay is now able to make a difference, to join the rebellion, find the C.O.I.L.S and discover the secrets of the Amber Sky. All she has to do is survive.

Excerpt

Within
the coils of copper and brass, there is a chance of freedom:

Anonymous
writer (date unknown)

Chapter 1:

It was November, and soot-laden fog obscured her
progress as Tay strode along the busy street. A chill wind kept the smog moving
and nipped at her exposed skin. She was grateful for the shifting whiteness: it kept away
curious eyes, and gave her a sense of freedom. The Factory was ahead, belching
clouds of smoke and steam into the air, choking the lines of workers that queued
outside. She averted her eyes and kept going. Thoughts of the Factory led to
thoughts of the Mine, and she could not allow that. The work site
fell behind her as she began to move uphill, away from the choking smog of the
Factory District, and towards the Mercantile District. The traffic thinned out
as her feet carried her through the cold, whispering quiet. The crowds were
lighter here and better dressed. In contrast to their well-heeled fashions, Tay looked
like an old sack. Several threadbare garments covered her body, and a
moth-eaten, woollen hat was jammed down on her chestnut-coloured hair.
Her boots were held together with twine, and stuffed with rags to keep the cold
at bay. Despite her efforts to layer her ragged clothing, the wind still found
its way to her skin, making her shiver. As she headed into the district, the
fogshielded her
from prying eyes and made her progress easier. Moving along the well-paved
roads of the Merchant District with the elusiveness of a wild thing,
she avoided the few traders that braved the cold, speeding up as she approached her
destination.

The house was built from white stone, now
discoloured from the ubiquitous soot. On the
faded, cherry-coloured door, a brass knocker in the shape
of a lion warned her off with what she fancied was a contemptuous gaze. For a
long moment, she stared at the wood, wondering at the wisdom of what she was
attempting. Lars and Cody could have been wrong, and this trip could easily land
her in the cells. As the ever-present wind chapped her lips, she mustered her
resolve. All other options had been exhausted, and this was all she had left.
Taking a deep breath, she grasped the knocker with one shaking hand before
letting it fall. For several moments, she waited on the doorstep, shifting
uneasily from one foot to the other, nervous beyond thought.

The door creaked open, and a maid stared down at
her with unconcealed distaste. Tay nervously wet her lips and opened her mouth
to speak.

“No beggars.” The maid
spoke first, her voice shrill with strident condemnation, as she took in Tay’s attire.
Confident in her dismissal, she moved to close the door.

“No, wait.” Tay placed her foot in the hall, and leant
forward. The maid stopped moving, distaste morphing into shock. “I need to
speak to Darius…” Despite her best efforts, Tay’s voice still
shook. “Please.” The woman stared down at her with
disbelief, incredulous at her audacity to ask to see the Master’s son.

“I don’t think so.” The woman
began pushing the door shut, shoving Tay’s fragile frame
off the doorstep with its weight. Tay held her ground, trying to keep the door
open.

“Please…” She pleaded once more, her voice echoing
loudly in the hallway. Panic thrummed through her as she became aware of the
spectacle she was creating. One complaint from any of the people on the street
behind her and the guards would come. “I need to see him.” It was a
desperate, yearning plea, yet the maid was having none of it. The door jammed
against her toes, and she winced. The maid was winning the battle, her far
stronger, well-fed, bulky frame inching Tay closer to the street.

“What’s going on?” A male voice echoed across the
hall, and the maid stopped.

“It’s this beggar, Sir.” The woman
held the door steady as she turned to face the speaker. “She wishes to talk to
you.” Her voice was
sneering, only slightly mollified by deference to her master.

“Let me see.” The man
walked forward, and the maid reluctantly released her hold on the door. Tay's
eyes roved across the man before her as he came into view, starting at
his well-shod feet, and travelling upward. A well-tailored, dark blue suit
framed a lean body, and a cane of some dark wood lay carelessly in his hands.
Casting her gaze upwards, she stared directly into a pair of deep-blue eyes,
which were alight with interest.

“I need to see you, Darius,” She appealed directly
to him, holding his gaze with silent entreaty. She ignored the scandalised tut
of the maid as she took a step forward. “It’s important.”

Darius thought for a moment before he nodded. “Let
her in,” He said to the maid, stepping back along the hall.
With a look of shock on her features, the woman stepped away from the door and
let Tay into the house.

Heat enveloped her as she stepped off the street,
and followed Darius’ beckoning finger. The maid closed the door behind her as
she slowly crossed the hall towards a door on the left. Her eyes drifted across
the panelled space, awed by the luxury she saw. Dominated by a sweeping
staircase, the hallway was decorated in shades of gold and blue. A heavy
chandelier, festooned with lights, swung from the ceiling, and it was
blissfully, wonderfully warm.

“Come on girl,” Tay's head
snapped back to the doorway, and she almost tripped over her own feet, as she hastened
towards the sitting room. A fire blazed in a large hearth, filling the room
with a cosy light. Above the mantel, a gilt-framed mirror reflected her scared
and lost face. Several comfortable-looking couches lay about the room, and a
variety of expensive knick-knacks were arranged on a wooden cabinet
against the left wall. Intimidated, she looked around at the luxuriant
surroundings and swallowed nervously.

“Warm yourself up.” Darius
indicated the roaring fire, and she
stepped before it gratefully, feeling the heat radiate across her cold skin.
“Emma.” He turned to the maid. “Can you find me some old
clothes?” With a sour look on her face, Emma nodded. As soon as she had left,
Darius turned back to the room. “Now that she’s gone,” He said as he walked
forward. “Why don’t you tell me what you want?”

Taya bit her lip and fidgeted. What had seemed like
a good idea in the safety of her home, now felt like insanity. She glanced at
him, noticing the arrogant cast to his features and the surety of his gaze. He
was handsome, she realised with a jolt. Beneath a shock of black hair, deep
blue eyes stared out at her with disconcerting directness.

“My name’s Taya, and…” She
stopped, wondering how she could continue with her request.

“And?” He encouraged, noticing her hesitation. “I
can’t help you if you don’t ask.”

“My father has just been sent to the mines,” She
said quickly, watching the realisation cross his face.

“I see,” He noted softly, staring at her with
interest. “And?”

“He already has a weak heart,” She found herself
saying. “The mines will kill him.”

“I fancy that’s the idea,” He uttered, reaching for a glass of amber liquid
that lay on the mantel, and took a sip. “What do you expect me to do about it?”

About the AuthorWhen I was a child, I made up games and characters when my sister and I played with dolls. As I grew older, I would make up scenarios and scenes, fully intending to write them down but never finding the time. In my late teens, I discovered the world of role playing and settled into an avid ‘geeky’ life of D&D, comics, sci-fi and fantasy fiction. Years passed and I finally gave voice to the stories in my head. I write romance, fantasy, action and adventure. I love tales of steampunk and history, tales of magical powers and dark curses lurking in the shadows. Though The Black Lotus is not my first attempt at a novel, it is the first I have finished.

And some fun facts about me:I sew.My favourite Disney film is Atlantis.I’ve been a film extra and stood 5 feet away from Sam Rockwell.Babylon 5 is my fave sci-fi show.I cried at the end of Toy Story 3.